After the recent success of the mighty Orlando Voorn’s collection of Classics on Bonzai Basiks, we decided to have our very own underground techno maestro Van Czar lead an exclusive remix pack of Orlando’s work. We think you’ll agree that Van has totally outdone himself on this one and showed a lot of respect for the original sound that brought about a legacy that spanned over 20 years. We spoke to Van about this project and we got the feeling that he spent many hours working tirelessly using his arsenal of instruments and all his energy, to ensure the integrity of each track remained intact. Van and Orlando have a lot of upcoming collabs that will be found on Van’s own CZ label, and the pair will also work alongside the legendary DJ Pierre who is pencilled in to provide the remix on one of their tracks, and as if that wasn’t enough they have also secured a remix from one of the Godfathers of techno, Anthony Shakir.

Originally written by Juan Atkins and Orlando back in 1994, Infiniti – Game One was (and in many quarters still is) a monster of a track that helped define an era. Remixing legends is not an easy job to take on, but Van Czar has certainly risen to the occasion on this one. On the remix Van takes the original elements and works them into a pounding, modernised club weapon while staying true to its roots. Big chunky kick drums are offset with crisp hi hats and a deep rumbling bassline. Throughout the track we’re treated to some expertly crafted synths and FX that create surreal melodies. Top notch stuff and the perfect way to kick off this pack.

In 1992 Orlando gave us Flash, under his Fix guise and would become one of the biggest techno tracks ever. On the remix Van wanted to stay true to the original sound and with some degree of difficulty he decided to give it its distinctive club appeal while retaining an underground vibe. Lots of layers that blend beautifully result in a definite floor filler here as deep rooted sounds layer up beautifully. The kick drums open up the sound as they pump out a solid dancey rhythm alongside cool hats and percussions while the bass lurks on the low end delivering a superb deep groove. Swirling pads come through on the break and add wonderful textures to the sound as they morph and contort, drawing us in. Excellent stuff once more, not to be missed.

Next up we have Van’s remix of Wiggle that sets off with a distinct rhythmic pulse as the congas go to work. This super tight arrangement will definitely have any floor moving as nice and chunky kicks are met with a cacophony of percussions that create intricate rhythmic patterns. The track has a very cool and dark melodic streak that runs through it, due in part to the always moving bassline and the fantastic synths and pads that dominate on the break and beyond. A definite must have track that will give any dancefloor a boost of rhythm.

Another big hitter from 1994 is Orlando’s alias Complex and the track Midi Merge. Van deliberately wanted to give this one as much club appeal as possible without ruining the tracks ethos, and we think he’s hit the nail on the head, again. Right from the off you get sucked into an infectious dancey rhythm that will lure you onto the floors no doubt. A deep, funky, sexy laden groove oozes out of the bassline while up top a tight arrangement of pumping kick drums and intricate percussions do their thing. Adding to the groovy nature of the vibe we’re treated to some very cool synths and sparse vocal snippets that come and go. This one is a must for any techno jock looking to get the floor energised.

Rounding off this impressive pack we have Van Czar’s Jam Remix of Orlando Voorn – Face. Keeping true to the original works throughout, Van delivers the goods yet again with a top notch club inspired pumping remix. Big chunky kick drums lead the way as a deep probing bassline weaves its way through the arrangement while an expertly crafted percussion section dishes out a solid rhythm that will surely get the bootys shakin’. Amidst the myriad of drums and percussions lies a very cool voice that stays the course of the track, this keeps the track firmly rooted in the techno arena and blends perfectly with the more clubby elements. Top notch stuff indeed.

#orlandovoorn #bonzaibasiks #vanczar